Satisfy your sweet tooth with these delicious Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes, topped with a creamy Paleo Chocolate Frosting. These cupcakes are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, making them a healthier dessert option. They’re the perfect healthier cupcake recipe for your extra zucchini!

These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are topped with a rich and fudgy Paleo Chocolate Frosting! You'd never guess there are veggies packed into these super moist and chocolatey gluten-free cupcakes.

Usually you wouldn’t think of pairing veggies with your chocolate cupcakes, right? I typically don’t either…but when there is an abundance of zucchini to be used, it ends up in all the things. Since I made these Chocolate Beet Donuts, I realized that chocolate is a wonderful pair with all sorts of veggies, and zucchini is no exception.

Zucchini tends to melt into baked goods in a scrumptious way, adding moisture while staying barely detectable. It’s the reason zucchini bread is so popular in the summer! In these gluten-free chocolate cupcakes, the zucchini is undetectable – just adding a delicious moistness to the texture and some added nutrients, to help you feel better about eating cupcakes.

These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are topped with a rich and fudgy Paleo Chocolate Frosting! You'd never guess there are veggies packed into these super moist and chocolatey gluten-free cupcakes.

Why you’ll love these Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes:

  • Decadently chocolatey and delicious
  • Gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free
  • Loaded with zucchini that you can’t taste
  • Easy to make ahead of time
  • Topped with a luscious vegan chocolate frosting
  • Perfect as healthy chocolate muffins if you skip the frosting
  • Easy to make
These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are topped with a rich and fudgy Paleo Chocolate Frosting! You'd never guess there are veggies packed into these super moist and chocolatey cupcakes.

Can you tell there is zucchini in these cupcakes?!

NO! The zucchini goes undetectable in these cupcakes. The shredded veggie melts into the chocolate cake, adding moisture and helping the cake stay super chocolatey. These chocolate zucchini cupcakes are nothing if not incredibly chocolatey.

The texture is spot-on, too! They’re not so light and cakey that don’t hold their weight, nor are they so dense that they dry out and become crumbly. The combination of almond and tapioca flours work together perfectly to create a texture similar to the all-purpose flour cupcakes we love. It doesn’t have any of the odd grittiness that so many plagues so many gluten-free cupcakes.

These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are topped with a rich and fudgy Paleo Chocolate Frosting! You'd never guess there are veggies packed into these super moist and chocolatey cupcakes.

I opted to put some mini chocolate chips in my second batch too, and the little bits of melty chocolate are such a nice surprise. The chocolate frosting is what makes these cupcakes ultra chocolatey, though.

How to make paleo chocolate frosting

This frosting is pretty simple. It works so well for this cupcake recipe, but you could also spread it on brownies or your favorite chocolate cake. We make it, all you need it:

  • Melted Dark Chocolate: I like using a rich dark chocolate.
  • Coconut Oil: helps the frosting hold it’s shape when it’s called, but melt as soon as it hits your tongue!
  • Almond Butter: or other nut or seed butter of your choice. This keeps the frosting soft and fudge.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Salt
These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are topped with a rich and fudgy Paleo Chocolate Frosting! You'd never guess there are veggies packed into these super moist and chocolatey cupcakes.

How to store gluten-free zucchini chocolate cupcakes

I recommend storing these cupcakes at room temperature. The frosting firms up a lot in the fridge. I prefer it when it’s a little softer. That way, it melts in your mouth in the most delicious way.

You could also make the cupcakes and freeze them if you’re trying to make them ahead of time.

These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are topped with a rich and fudgy Paleo Chocolate Frosting! You'd never guess there are veggies packed into these super moist and chocolatey cupcakes.

If you’ve got zucchini around, you’ve got to try these out! Soft, moist, incredibly chocolatey, with a rich fudge frosting. These are what chocolate cupcake dreams are made of. Enjoy!

Want more chocolate cake?! I’ve got you covered…

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These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are topped with a rich and fudgy Paleo Chocolate Frosting! You'd never guess there are veggies packed into these super moist and chocolatey cupcakes.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Paleo Chocolate Frosting

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Rachel Conners
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 58 minutes
  • Yield: 16 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Paleo
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

These Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes are topped with a rich and fudgy Paleo Chocolate Frosting! You’d never guess there are veggies packed into these super moist and chocolatey gluten-free cupcakes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cup (144g) blanched almond flour
  • ½ cup (55g) tapioca flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • ⅔ cup cacao powder
  • ½ cup non-dairy milk of choice, I used almond
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup shredded zucchini, water squeezed out of it
  • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, optional

For the frosting

  • 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
  • ⅓ cup almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and lightly grease a cupcake pan with cupcake liners or coconut oil.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, coconut sugar, and cacao powder. Whisk all dry ingredients together.
  3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the non-dairy milk, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla extract together. Stir in the shredded zucchini.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
  5. Use a scoop to fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 16-19 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing from the pan to cool completely.
  6. While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting. In a microwave-proof bowl or in a small saucepan, combine the dark chocolate, almond butter, and coconut oil. Microwave until melted, about 1 or 2 minutes (stirring every 30 seconds) or melt over low heat in a small saucepan. Add in the vanilla extract and kosher salt and whisk until smooth.
  7. Place in the refrigerator to cool, and remove to whisk every 10-15 minutes until it’s gotten to the desired consistency. Don’t leave it in the refrigerator for too long, or it will firm up and not be spreadable. Warm for 10-15 seconds if you accidentally let it cool for too long to soften it back up.
  8. Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake, or use a piping bag to pipe on the cupcakes. Double the frosting recipe if you’re going to be piping on all of the cupcakes.
  9. Store cupcakes tightly sealed at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for longer term storage.

Equipment

Notes

Frosting recipe adapted from Texanerin Baking.

Nutritional info is for cupcakes only and does not include the frosting.

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